Kidnapping crisis: R5m ransom demanded in Bekkersdal
The West Rand has been drawn into the spotlight after ransom demands of R5m in Bekkersdal and R3m in Roodepoort were revealed.
The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s (GPL) portfolio committee on community safety has called for an urgent and coordinated response to the escalating kidnapping crisis in the province, especially Randfontein, Roodepoort and Kempton Park.
Media specialist at the GPL, Thebe Khumalo, said that the revelation was made during a critical stakeholder engagement convened by the committee last Friday, to interrogate the growing prevalence, causes and impact of kidnapping in Gauteng.
Ransoms demanded in Randfontein and Roodepoort
There were ransom kidnapping cases on the West Rand that the police organised crime team dealt with. In Bekkersdal, there was a ransom of R5m demanded, and in Roodepoort, R3m.
“These figures should serve as a wake-up call to every law enforcement agency and every level of government. Kidnapping cannot be treated as an isolated crime when its tentacles extend into hijacking, organised crime, ransom demands and the targeting of vulnerable people,” said Khumalo.
Numbers of kidnappings in Gauteng
He explained that at provincial level, the picture is equally alarming. Gauteng recorded 2 367 kidnapping cases between April and June this year, more than half of the 4 638 cases recorded nationally during the quarter. The scale of these figures places Gauteng at the centre of South Africa’s kidnapping crisis.
The committee is particularly concerned that kidnapping in Gauteng is taking different forms, including hijacking-related kidnappings, where victims are unlawfully restrained or taken during vehicle hijackings, as well as the growing threat of kidnapping for ransom.
These figures should serve as a wake-up call to every law enforcement agency and every level of government. Kidnapping cannot be treated as an isolated crime when its tentacles extend into hijacking, organised crime, ransom demands and the targeting of vulnerable people.
Kidnapping needs the highest level of attention
The committee is calling for kidnapping to receive the highest level of attention in Gauteng, including strengthened intelligence gathering, enhanced co-ordination between law enforcement agencies, targeted operations in identified hotspots and stronger engagement with communities.
They are also urging residents to work closely with law enforcement by reporting suspicious activity and providing information that could assist investigations.
The message from the committee is clear: Gauteng can’t normalise kidnapping. Communities must be protected, criminal networks must be disrupted, and those responsible must face the full might of the law.
Kempton Park kidnappings
Kempton Park in Ekurhuleni was recorded as having the highest number of kidnapping cases this year between April and June.
Khumalo said according to the latest crime statistics, Kempton Park recorded 76 kidnapping cases between April and June this year, compared with 48 during the same period last year, an increase of 58.3%. This makes Kempton Park the highest recording precinct in Gauteng for kidnapping during the quarter.
“The figures are particularly concerning given the recent discovery of the bodies of several women in the broader Ekurhuleni area. While investigations into these deaths remain ongoing, the Committee believes the exceptionally high kidnapping figures in Kempton Park demand intensified policing, intelligence-led investigations and visible interventions to protect residents,” he stated.
